


The time Paul got a cat

by HelloIExist



Category: The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid
Genre: Arguing, Emma hates the cat, F/M, Fluff, Storms, cat allergies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:41:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25180297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HelloIExist/pseuds/HelloIExist
Summary: Paul adopts a cat he found in an alley. Emma is allergic to cats and hates it. Chaos ensues.
Relationships: Charlotte/Ted (The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals) (Implied), Emma Perkins & Original Cat Characters, Henry Hidgens & Emma Perkins, Paul Matthews & Original Cat Characters, Paul Matthews/Emma Perkins
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	The time Paul got a cat

Emma Perkins sighed as she turned off the ignition in her shitty junkbox of a car, resting her head back against the seat and stared at the clock. 10:03PM. Botany class over. Finally home. She looked towards the quaint suburban home she had occupied for the better half of the last year. It was cliche. It was normality. Emma had never loved anything more. She pulled the door open carefully. She knew that the car would fall apart if she didn’t, but she and Paul couldn’t afford much more. She sighed again and made her way to the door of the house, toying with her keys in the lack of light due to being unable to see the tacky labels Paul had put on each of them. Soon she managed to, being hit by the blinding light of their brightly lit living room. 

“You’re back!” Came a voice from the general direction as Emma faced the door, taking her coat off and putting her keys on the hooks her boyfriend drilled into the wall. She smiled as she heard the joy in his tone. He was always like this whenever she got home, excitable, glad that they were together. But today his tone had an air of nervousness to it rather than pure elation. When Emma turned away from the wall, she saw why.

“Paul. That better not be what I think it is…” She huffed, eyes locked on the couch.

“It might be…” Paul’s voice was small and soft as he followed her gaze.

“Paul!”

“I can explain, I know what you said, but-”

“But nothing! That thing could literally kill me!”

“Stop yelling, please. If you just took your pills…”

“Why should I have to? Maybe if you abided by our house rules and didn’t bring that into our home then I wouldn’t be yelling.” She was glaring at him now, watching him shrink under her venomous glower. She wasn’t truly mad at him but this was the one thing she’d put her foot down about.

“But he’s so cute…” Paul whined as he paced towards the couch and scooped up the large, fluffy, grey tabby cat, who meowed in annoyance the minute it was lifted into the air. Paul cuddled him, pouting at Emma. She rolled her eyes.

“Paul, I don’t care, I have allergies. I told you we couldn’t have a cat and you never listen to me about anything. Listen to me on this one. Please?” She huffed, already beginning to sniffle with a small sigh. “I’m allergic to cats. That’s it. I’m going to have a shower, take my medication and go to bed.” She started to move past him, stopped by the sound of him whinging once again. He was taking this far too seriously. 

“But you’re allergic to everything…” He complained, putting the cat down as he began to scratch at the man’s arms. “I can’t have a dog, I can’t have a cat… Can’t you just relax for once and let me have him?”

“I let you have a fish and you killed it.” Emma rubbed her face tiredly, she was exhausted already and arguing with Paul made it worse. “You can’t look after a fish, we’re not getting a cat that could kill me. The cat needs to be gone by tomorrow.” She sighed and walked out.

* * *

The cat was not gone by tomorrow. Before bed she had left a box on the kitchen table, she’d drop it off at the shelter before work. Paul had promised that he would. That was why a small groan left her mouth as she looked over at the other side of their bed. The cat was sat there, grooming himself as he sat on Paul’s pillow. There was a slight wave of panic that washed over her before the relief of remembering she took her medication. The angry little creature looking at her now. His squashed little face focused on her. Emma didn’t yell. Or try to push him off. She wasn’t sneezing or choking to death so perhaps he could stay. She sat up, pushing her blanket off of her, cat hair flying up from Paul’s side of the bed. She’d need to clean that up later, great.

“You’re a little shit.” She glared at the animal, who returned the look. She almost chuckled. She still hated him but the expression on his gross little face was almost endearing. Almost. She watched as the stray sat back on his haunches and produced gross choking sounds. Then he threw up on their bed. She huffed and gagged, standing up, sending the cat an almost bloodthirsty glare before storming downstairs. The rickety stairs creaking under the amount of force she was placing upon them. She could see her boyfriend leant against the counter, two cups of coffee in front of him. He averted his eyes as she neared him. How a guilty child might if he was in trouble. He knew about the shitstorm that was about to strike the Perkins-Matthew’s household. He tried to reason with her before she let loose. 

“Ok, I can explain… I tried to put him in the box but I couldn’t bring myself to. He’s so cute Emma… He’s missing an eye too! I can’t just put Toby in a box and forget about him-” Emma cut him off, hand raised in a stopping motion.

“You named him?” She asked in a frighteningly cold tone, followed by a huff of frustration as he nodded. “Paul! If we name him, you’ll get attached. Scratch that, you’re already attached. We don’t have the time or money for a cat… I don’t mean to be mad but we really can’t keep him.” She stepped closer to him, resting her hand on his shoulder. She didn’t want to make this situation serious. It shouldn’t be. She wanted him to be happy but they weren’t keeping the cat. See would put her foot down about it. But Paul wouldn’t let up easily. The newest point of contention in their house had been created.

* * *

Emma covered her mouth as she sneezed loudly, causing a man in the corner of the coffee shop to jump slightly, drink spilling. She sighed and sent him an apologetic look, she'd have to clean that up in a minute. She huffed and wiped her arm on her apron. Beanie’s didn’t exactly measure up to Hatchetfield’s health and safety standards.She went to grab her cloth from the counter, actually going to do her job for once. But she was interrupted by yet another sneeze, then another, and another after that. God damnit. She looked down at her pale work shirt and saw the one thing she feared, grey cat hair absolutely covering it. She had been in such a rush to leave that morning that she hadn’t taken any allergy medication and now the unfortunate discovery of Paul letting Toby use their cupboard as a second bed. He had been living with the pair for just over a fortnight and he was more trouble than he was worth. She coughed and sneezed again. Paul was going to cop an earful for this tonight. Emma picked up the nearest cloth before sneezing again. A slightly muffled voice cut through her blurry vision and repetitive sniffles.

“Oh my god, Emma… If you’re going to be sick, please take it elsewhere.” She turned to see Zoey, who had pulled her shirt over her nose and mouth. She had one hand on her hip and her eyebrows raised.

“I’m fine…” Emma sighed as he turned away, trying to brush the hair off of her shirt as she noticed another barista going to clean up the spilled drink. Zoey wasn’t convinced by her claim. “It’s just allergies. You can’t catch anything from me, it’s all because of Paul’s stupid cat.” She watched as her coworker slowly uncovered her face, hesitant. 

“I don’t need backstory.” She rolled her eyes and stepped away from Emma. “Just don’t slack off and don’t get me sick. I don’t care about any of these people, just not me.” She turned on her heels and stalked away. It was nothing but regular Zoey behaviour. Emma just had to finish her shift and then she could go home. But then she’d have to face that dreaded cat. What was worse? Zoey’s endlessly prissy behaviour or sneezing herself to death? She didn’t know.

* * *

“He’s so cute! Ted! Have you seen this?” Charlotte squeaked, causing the others in the break room to cover their ears slightly. Her generally shrill voice and erratic behaviour got on their nerves. Ted cringed slightly as she brought up his name. The others looking to him to quieten her. He sighed and turned to face the office lunch table, glancing at Paul and Charlotte, him pushing his phone in her face.

“Yes, Char…” Ted said calmly, approaching them. It was a calculated response, he had to think about what he said around her in the office. “Paul’s been forcing us to watch his dumb cat videos for weeks, I think it’s time we talk about something else, yeah?” He suggested, one hand resting on her upper arm as he leant over her, absentmindedly keeping an arm around her as he straightened up and began to down his purposely spiked drink.

“It’s not stupid.” Paul rolled his eyes and put his phone on the table. “Toby settled in so well. Emma hasn’t shoved him off the bed in two weeks. She just refuses to be alone with him still but she’s coming around.” He was excited at the thought of his girlfriend no longer trying to get rid of his new pet.

“Paul, it’s a cat.” Ted sighed, noticing the tight embrace he had around his coworker and letting her go with an awkward cough. “You’ve been shoving your phone in my face since you got him a month ago. It doesn’t help that Charlotte also forwards all the photos onto me. No one wants to hear it… I understand your sister, or girlfriend of whatever’s hatred of that thing.” Paul huffed at that, slightly mad about Ted dismissing his life. Paul wasn’t the one who liked to share disgustingly graphic stories about his dating life. Thankfully someone else chimed in.

“Ted. Do your job.” Melissa looked up from where she was sitting, pouring over Paul and Bill’s weekly reports before delivering them to their boss. The others practically commissioned her into doing their jobs for them. Ted was the only one she refused to help.

“Oh please, you complained about Paul’s cat photos to me, literally last night.” Ted rolled his eyes, holding up his phone as evidence. Everyone chuckled at the thought that Melissa would 1) actively talk to Ted and 2) speak behind a coworkers back.

“Paul, I’d listen to them.” Bill sighed from his side of the lunch table. “Alice likes seeing Toby so maybe just send them to me from now on.” He was obviously lying but he wanted Paul to have someone to rely on. Especially because everyone was sick of Toby. None more so than Ted who stormed out of the room in annoyance, most likely drunk or mad at himself for his mistake of being overly friendly with Charlotte. Paul sighed and looked down towards the lunch that Emma prepared the previous night. She’d been being kinder to him as of recent, despite their constant arguments over the cat. It was perplexing but he had two theories on that one. Either she was apologetic and trying to make up her frequent criticisms of his choices or that she was trying to bribe him into agreeing with her and getting rid of their pet. The second option was Paul deemed most likely. Emma wasn’t just going to be nice for the sake of it if she was already furious about her allergies. He hoped she was starting to become kinder and hate Toby slightly less. Because then their boss came in to remind them of their event in two weeks. 

* * *

“Emma. I am not coming over to babysit your boyfriend’s cat.” Professor Hidgens sighed as he straightened papers on his desk, placing his phone, that he still didn’t understand, down on the desk. He really did not want to be having this conversation.

“Please Professor.” Emma sighed as she lay back on the couch, glaring at the cat who was cleaning himself by the tv. “I’ll buy your groceries again if you need.” She didn’t really want to, but if it got rid of the cat, it was a win-win.

“I didn’t ask you to do that last time, that was completely your own choice.” He sighed again. The ‘end call’ button on the phone was looking very tempting.

“You weren’t eating, it was my responsibility as your favourite student.” 

“Who said you were my favourite?”

“You implied it.”

“Did not.”

“Professor please…” She put on a fake whiny voice. They were close enough at this point for her to act like this. “Toby is a little shit and I don’t want to have to deal with him for three days.” Her teacher scoffed.

“Emma. You can manage on your own. The cat isn’t going to strike you down if you don’t feed him on time.”

“He’s a tiny demon. Please don’t make me do this.”

“Goodbye Emma.” He sighed and put down his stack of papers, moving back to his desk and letting his finger hover over the red button on the screen.

“Professor-”

“Bring your essay to class on monday.”

“Don’t make me go through this.”

“Have a good weekend.”

“I hate you.” Emma huffed as he hung up. It was a joke, obviously, but this was the worst possible ending to that call. She sighed and looked over to Toby, his single eye staring into hers. He clearly hated her and she felt the same. As much as Paul reminded her to take her meds, she was still furious. The box had been long forgotten by the pair, despite Emma having written ‘free cat’ on it during one particular fight about the creature. She shook the thoughts off as she heard the cat jump from the tv stand to the ground, wandering towards her. She rolled her eyes and picked up her phone, sitting cross legged and pulling a blanket over her, picking up the remote with her other hand. A storm was coming and background noise was the only way she’d make it through without having to cover her ears. She scrolled through various channels for the next few minutes. Sci-fi. Horror. Junky 80’s reruns. She sighed and landed on a random tv show, barely watching as she noticed the clear flash of lightning by the window. Storms had a strange effect on her. She heard a soft meow and looked over to Toby who had stepped closer to her. There was a soft purring noise from the back of his throat as he blinked, well, winked at her. Emma scoffed a bit unsure by the cat’s sudden strange behaviour. Lightning stuck again, thunder rumbling out. At that Toby began to nuzzle against her hand on the couch. She tugged it back in surprise. What was he trying to manipulate her into doing? Paul was already complicit in his evil schemes. He meowed loudly again, pushing against her.

“What do you want you little shit?” She huffed, she hated this creature and every piece of his existence. Then lightning again. “You don’t like it either huh? What do you want me to do about it?” She sighed and put her phone and the remote down. The second she did. Toby prodded her leg with his paw a few times before climbing up into her lap, laying across the blanket. She tensed. She had been trying to get rid of this thing for the better part of the last two months. And now this. She sighed and leant back against the couch. She was thankfully slightly better at not sneezing around him, and at remembering to take her medication. Plus, if the hair was on the blanket then there was no issue. She sighed and felt her eyelids grow heavy.

* * *

Paul arrived home at 11pm three days later. His flight had been delayed by yet another storm for that week and he was panicking, knowing Emma would be even antsier when he got home. He had no real expectations of what he was returning to. The cat was probably gone at this point. That or Emma had run out on him for bringing one of the several animals she was allergic to into their home. He sighed and put his suitcase down in the doorway, shutting and locking the door. He looked around the room. It was as he had expected. Takeout containers littered their kitchen counters and the box she had left out for Toby was laying discarded in the corner. Thankfully she hadn’t shipped their cat out yet. But he couldn’t see Toby either. He hoped for the best as he scraped the containers towards one end of the counter, putting them in a slightly neater pile than before. He’d deal with it in the morning, but at least it looked better. He looked around the darkened bottom floor of their house before heading upstairs. He went to the bathroom, struggling to brush his teeth in the dark and get changed without tripping over his own feet. He finally got ready for bed and crossed the hall.

He pushed the door to their bedroom open and was met by a sight that he never thought he’d see. Emma was laying in bed, Toby curled up against her. His eye opened when he noticed that Paul had entered the room. Paul chuckled and went to climb into bed beside him. At the potential of Paul taking his spot, Toby meowed and shifted over, right over where Paul intended on getting in. He had a new favourite human now and Paul wasn’t going to take away his spot.

“You’re a little shit.” Paul glared at the cat.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write about Paul having a cat seeing as I introduced it at the end of my last fix so expect more every time my cat does something stupid.


End file.
